Bob Keeshan created and played the title role in the children’s television program CaptainKangaroo, which ran from 1955 to 1984 on CBS, the longest-running nationally broadcast children’s television program of its day.

The poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore (" ‘Twas the night before Christmas…") was first published on this day in 1823.

Clement Clarke Moore

Former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and six other Japanese war leaders were executed in Tokyo on this day in 1948. They had been found guilty of crimes against humanity.

The Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. Founder of The Mormon Church (LDS) was born on this day in 1805.

Joseph Smith’s first vision.

The crew of the U.S. Navy ship, Pueblo, was released by North Korea on this day in 1968. The Captain of the Pueblo, Commander Lloyd M. Bucher, and 82 of his crew were held for 11 months after the ship was seized by North Korea because of suspected spying by the U.S.

Commander Lloyd M. Bucher

Cmdr. Lloyd M. Bucher, skipper of the USS Pueblo (2nd from right) says goodbye to Gen. Charles H. Bonesteel III, commander in chief of the United Nations Command in Korea, as Pueblo crew members applaud at Kimpo Air Base, South Korea.

On this day in 1986, the experimental airplane Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, completed the first non-stop, around- the-world flight without refueling as it landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

On July 4, 1939, Yankees fans were given their chance to say farewell to Lou Gehrig.

John Calvin Coolidge Jr.(July 4, 1872 – January 5, 1933)

Calvin Coolidge was the 30th president of the United States who was mostly remembered for being a man of few words, which earn him the nickname Silent Cal. He was a farmer, school teacher, and local store clerk. Coolidge achieved national recognition for his handling of the Boston Police Strike of 1919. He held a record number of presidential press conferences for the time, totaling 520.